How ‘bout a hug?

Scientific validation for hugging trees

image credit Uplift, 2013.

You have all heard the term, tree hugger to describe environmentalists, hippies and other nature conscious groups. Well, turns out that there is now scientific evidence to support health benefits from hugging trees. You don’t even have to actually touch a tree to benefit from it; you just have to stand close to it.

The editors at Uplift recently published an article reviewing the book Blinded by Science, by Matthew Silverstone. The book states that tree hugging has many health benefits and can improve “Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), concentration levels, reaction times, depression and other forms of mental illness. He even points to research indicating a tree's ability to alleviate headaches in humans seeking relief by communing with trees” (Uplift, 2013).

Research also indicates that children’s cognitive and emotion functions improve with play in green areas. Up until now, it was the open green spaces thought to be the contributing factor for these benefits. It is now shown that the actual trees and plants are beneficial because they all vibrate. These various vibrations affect biological behaviors.

Reference:

Uplift, 2013. Tree Hugging Now Scientifically Validated  . Online @ http://uplift-media.com/index.php/people/natural-healing/521-tree-hugging-scientifically-validated#!

Image credit Uplift, 2013. Same as above.